NAVBO Workshops at Vascular Biology 2018 October 14-18, 2018 - Newport, RI Principal Investigator: Masanori Aikawa Project Summary Vascular biology has evolved over the past decade as a major cross-disciplinary field of study that addresses global health threats such as acute complications of coronary atherosclerosis as well as other major human diseases. Today, vascular biology contributes to our understanding of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, chronic kidney disease, vein graft failure, neurodegenerative disorders, stroke, hematological disorders, cancer and immune diseases. More important, advances in vascular biology have facilitated the development of many preventive strategies and new therapies. Despite major advances in our understanding of the roles of vascular cells in physiology and pathology, major aspects of the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Hence, major translational opportunities await exploitation. New areas of science have emerged that allow us to better understand the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and develop new therapies, including the role of non-coding RNA and remote organ crosstalk in the regulation of vascular function. Furthermore, in addition to traditional hypothesis-driven research, holistic approaches such as global ?-omics? screening and systems biology have laid important foundations that further our understanding of vascular biology. This unique program combines two workshops: Signaling in the Cardiovascular System and Vascular Inflammation. It includes specific translational sessions and a pre-meeting for trainees. Our aim is to provide a forum for basic and clinical researchers in these complementary areas to interact, and to provide a platform for furthering the education and careers of trainees. The workshops are interdisciplinary, allowing researchers in vascular biology from academia, industry, and government to come together in a common focus to address important issues in vascular pathologies and their clinical outcomes. The program is characterized by the presentation of cutting edge research in areas including vascular permeability, lymphatics, leukocyte- endothelial cell interactions, angiogenesis, vascular remodeling, lipid metabolism, non-coding RNAs, vessel morphogenesis, vascular malformations, vein graft and arteriovenous fistula failure, extracellular vesicles, and cardiovascular ?-omics? (four of these sessions will feature a moderated discussion). Three joint sessions will feature important topics: signaling in vascular inflammation, vascular therapeutics, and resolution of inflammation. We believe these topics are highly relevant to the NHLBI's mission to further our understanding and develop much-needed new therapies for diseases involving the vasculature. In this application, we request funds to partially support this interdisciplinary and international conference, which will serve to bring together investigators from academia, industry, and government, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students from diverse fields of study for four days of intense discussion and study.